ISIS forcing companies to re-brand
When it comes to managing risks to a company’s brand, there is only so much that corporate affairs professionals can do to manage this process. While there is a lot that PR specialists can do, sometimes international events leave firms with no choice but to radically overhaul their brand and image. This has been seen…
When it comes to managing risks to a company’s brand, there is only so much that corporate affairs professionals can do to manage this process. While there is a lot that PR specialists can do, sometimes international events leave firms with no choice but to radically overhaul their brand and image.
This has been seen most recently with the terrorist organisations ISIS – the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. In recent months, the group has taken over a large swathe of land across Iraq and Syria, meeting with widespread condemnation.
For some companies though, ISIS has also created a PR nightmare – as the organisation shares its name with a number of established businesses.
The UK firm ISIS Equity Partners for example, has recently announced that it will change its name. The company’s CEO stated on their website that the business is “no longer prepared to share it with a terrorist organisation.”
The same has been seen by Isis – the mobile payment app that can be used to make in-store purchases. In recent weeks, the business has announced a re-brand, changing its name to Softcard.
While companies scramble to re-brand to avoid any negative connotations, some firms have decided to remain with the name. ISIS pharmaceuticals, for example, has declared that it won’t change its name, arguing that the chances of a pharmaceutical brand being mistaken for a terrorist organisation isn’t worth the change.
As companies choose different tactics to address the threat of extreme terrorism to their brand, it falls on PR professionals to communicate any changes clearly and ensure that business continues as usual. These incidents are just one reminder of the many different challenges that companies face, especially around reputational risk management.
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